


A Birthday Surprise

by wholocker78218



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Established Relationship, Lawyer Boyfriends, M/M, this is for my own amusement please dont judge me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-18
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:14:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24795238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wholocker78218/pseuds/wholocker78218
Summary: It's Carisi's birthday and he's invited the team round to celebrate, what could go wrong?
Relationships: Rafael Barba/Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 49





	A Birthday Surprise

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Barisi fic, so please help leave feedback on charactisatin or anything else.  
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Find me on Tumblr @angelicdestieldemon  
> I also have a Kofi page under the same name!
> 
> Wholocker x

To say Amanda was surprised when she found out that Barba and Carisi were sleeping together would be a lie, she wasn’t blind, she could see the tension in their mutual teasing and battle of the wits. To then find out that not only were they sleeping together but were in a long-term committed relationship however was a little bit of a surprise. She was happy for them, she just didn’t realise that their relationship went further than sexual tension to be dispelled by hooking up once in a while. But the icing on the cake had to be finding out that they had been living together for a year and no one had noticed, not even Liv.

Which leads her to today, Barba and Carisi had invited the squad round to celebrate Carisi’s birthday. His birthday wasn’t actually today but they were all working on the day so they waited until the weekend rolled around to celebrate. When Carisi suggested his and Barba’s apartment Amanda could see the look Barba gave Carisi, a look of ‘whatthe hell are you thinking?’. However, before Barba could object to the idea, Carisi placed his hand on Barba’s thigh under the table and that look in Barba’s eye turned to soft resignation, it took all of Amanda’ self control not to smirk at the rare display of affection, not to mention the fact that Carisi had managed to wrap Barba round his finger. Letting her eyes drift from Barba to Carisi she could see the smug look he wore, he knew the control he had over the ADA and although Amanda knew that that control wasn’t something Carisi would abuse, she could tell he definitely made use of it.

So the plans were settled, and everyone agreed to meet at Carisi and Barba’s apartment on Saturday - today - to celebrate Carisi getting that little bit older. She had already given Carisi his present on his actual birthday, a tie from a tailors he had been practically drooling over when they went to speak to the owner for a case a few months back, she knew she’d done well when Barba complimented her gift, telling her it suited Carisi’s skin tone perfectly.

Now, as she waited for the elevator in the lobby of their apartment building, she was still trying to wrap her head around the idea of Barba and Carisi being in a relationship, a proper committed relationship.

* * *

_Carisi was nervous, she could tell by the way he was peeling the label off his beer bottle. He hadn’t made eye contact with her since they arrived at the bar and his nervousness was beginning to make her feel anxious. Was he ok? Had something bad happened to him, his family? She wasn’t sure if he’d appreciate her putting her hand on his shoulder so instead, she slid the beer bottle out of his hand to draw his attention to her._

_“Carisi, has something happened?” She asks, his eyes still refusing to meet hers._

_“No. I- uh why is this so hard?” He said, talking more to himself than her. “I wanted to speak to you about something…” he says, his voice trailing off at the end, she could see the internal struggle he was facing on whether or not to tell her what he needed to tell her or let it go._

_“Whatever you need to say, I'm here to listen,” she says, deciding to let him talk when he was ready, trying not to force him to say anything he wasn’t ready to say no matter how curious she was._

_Carisi finally meets her eyes and for a moment he says nothing, just staring at her as if he is looking for something, he must find it because he grabs his beer bottle, takes a long sip and turns to face her completely._

_“I’m bisexual.”_

* * *

She remembers that night he came out to her like it was yesterday, he was so scared of her rejecting him, of reacting badly like so many others must have done before. And when she didn’t, when she gave him a hug and told him she was proud of him, grateful that he decided she was worthy of him telling her something so personal, he nearly broke down in tears of relief.

They had become closer after that, Carisi told her about his previous relationships, his catholic family’s reaction to their only son coming out as bisexual. That night was a rough one, to say that they hadn’t taken it well would be an understatement but they were coming round, slowly but surely. They drank a lot that night and Amanda can still remember the hangover they both had the next morning.

The elevator finally arrives and as she turns to push the button for Barba and Carisi’s floor she sees Liv enter the lobby, she holds the door open long enough for Liv to make it in before allowing the doors to close.

“I’ve spent all week wondering what their apartment looks like,” Amanda says by way of greeting and she can see Liv smile.

“Honestly, I’ve been doing the same. Until Carisi invited us I realised I haven’t been to any of their apartments even before they moved in together,” Liv replied, Amanda smiled.

“I’m still trying to get my head around how none of us noticed. I mean we’re detectives, how could we not notice?” She responds, her question was one she knew Liv shared.

Barba and Liv were very close, best friends even, and yet he didn’t tell her that he had moved in with one of her detectives, and that they had been living together for over a year. Then again, Barba was a very private man, Amanda could probably count on one hand the amount of personal information she knew about him. That thought leads her to Carisi, sure she knew a lot about Carisi, the man was practically an open book in most aspects, and having come out to her she assumed he would have told her if he was in a relationship. But no, he too - like Barba - had hidden it from her, all of them really.

“I’m trying not to take it personally,” Liv says, breaking Amanda out of her runaway thoughts. “They didn’t have to tell us, but I'm glad they did.” She finished, however Amanda saw her mouth open again as if to speak before she closed it again. Amanda waited for her to continue, knowing that whatever Liv was about to say was important if she was consciously working out how to put her thoughts in to words.

“I just can’t help wondering why they didn’t tell us sooner? I mean, I know they said that they didn’t intend for it to be a great big secret and that they just didn’t know how to tell us without it being a big thing. I just worry that maybe there was another reason, that they didn’t feel safe telling us,” she explained, a tired look crossing her face making it clear that Liv had spent the whole week worrying about this in her head.

“Have you spoken to Barba about this? I think it’d help,” she offers. “I can see where you’re coming from, if I'm honest I'm a little hurt that Carisi didn’t tell me, he tells me about everything else. But I can also see from their perspective, it’s hard enough in our world for them to be out, every so often I hear unis and other lawyers take digs at them. Their relationship as I'm sure you’ve noticed has already caused quite a stir,” Amanda rationalises, if anything saying it out loud makes her see their perspective a little clearer.

Liv turns to her, a small smile gracing her features and Amanda knows she’s comforted by her words.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right. I guess maybe I'm more annoyed at myself for not noticing,” she says, a teasing smile growing prominently, Amanda returns it.

The elevator finally arrives on the right floor and they both leave feeling better than when they entered. Finding the right door, Liv knocks and they only have to wait a few seconds before Carisi answers it, dressed casually but it’s clear to Amanda that these are clothes bought by Barba. Carisi wouldn’t pay the amount the blue long sleeve shirt he was wearing cost but Barba definitely would.

“Hey, you’re the last to arrive, please come in,” he says, standing to the side to let them past. “Can I take your coats?” Amanda rolls her eyes and shrugs off her coat, Liv following suit.

“Aren't you a good little host?” She teases, Carisi grins taking their coats and hanging them on the rack behind the door.

“What can I say, my mother taught me right,” he teases back, a mocking but happy smile plastered on his face. “Drinks are in the kitchen on the right, help yourself,” he finishes leading them through to the living room opposite the kitchen.

The apartment is exactly what Amanda imagined Barba would live in, the living room is spacious with a large expensive but comfortable looking furniture and large windows with views of the city. A short hallway leading to what she assumes is the bedrooms and the bathroom. The kitchen is filled with top of the line appliances a very expensive looking coffee maker and sleek counter tops, she finds the beer in the fridge and grabs a glass of wine for Liv as well and walks back across to the living room.

Carisi drops down on to the large L-shaped couch next to Barba, his arm thrown over the back and they’re pressed together at the side in way they never would at work and Amanda can’t help but find it sweet the Barba doesn’t even pretend to act annoyed but relaxes instantly in to Carisi’s side.

She passes the wine to Liv and sits down beside her on the opposite side of the couch from the love birds. Fin taking the armchair across from all of them.

“Well, shall we raise a toast?” Fin announces, raising his bottle. “Happy Birthday Carisi, may you live to share your legal knowledge for another year whether we want it or not,” he teases.

Everyone except Carisi nods their head in agreement and amusement while saying “Cheers!” including Barba, who gets a pinch on his arm from his boyfriend, but the look they share is one of good natured teasing that makes Amanda ache for someone to look at her like that.

The group carry on after that, Carisi thanking them for coming, Liv moving closer to Barba to talk about the apartment, Amanda can see a proud look on his face, it’s clear he loves his and Carisi’s home. She chats with Fin and Carisi about the dinner he and Barba had with his parents and sisters on his actual birthday, Amanda and Fin laughing at Barba being ambushed by Carisi’s sisters, Theresa and Gina making it known that if it doesn’t work out with Sonny, Barba should give either of them a call.

After a few more beers, Amanda asks where to find the bathroom, “First door on the right,” Carisi says, his arm still firmly around Barba.

She finds the bathroom and marvels at the large bathtub in the corner, wishing her own was that big. After finishing her business and washing her hands in one of the two sinks she opens the door to leave but pauses and decides to have a nose around the apartment without supervision, starting with the bathroom cabinets. The pain killers for migraines are probably Barba’s and the expensive shaving kit is probably his too. She finds hair gel that most definitely belongs to Carisi as it is the same brand he has in his desk for long days. As she’s about to close it and move on to the bedroom, she see’s something that catches her eye. A box of extra large condoms, grinning she takes a picture of the box to tease Carisi about later puts her phone back in her pocket when she hears someone clear their throat behind her.

“Having a nose around are we?” Carisi says, a mocking glint in his eyes. Amanda smiles and hold up the box of condoms.

“Barba’s a lucky man, Carisi, who knew you were packing so much heat in those tailored trousers,” she teases, waiting to see the tall detectives cheeks flush red with embarrassment as it so often does, only instead of blushing she sees him smirk, a mischievous look flash across his face.

“They’re not mine,” he quips, watching her expression turn to one of shock, before leaving her there in the bathroom.

After taking a minute to recover from the shock of finding out about Barba’s _size_ she puts the box back in the cabinet and heads back to the living room hoping her face isn’t red. She arrives just in time for Carisi to lean in and whisper something in Barba’s ear, and to her mortification she see’s Barba’s smile turn to into a predatory smirk. He catches her eye and winks making her choke on her beer. Fin and Liv turning to her in concern, but she passes it off with a “wrong tube” and takes another drink, making a mental note to never go through Barba or Carisi’s things again, there are some things she doesn’t want to know.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on Tumblr @angelicdestieldemon  
> I also have a Kofi page under the same name!


End file.
